Summer reading lists have always raised a whine and a loud groan from my kids. “Why do I have to read THAT?! It’s not what I want to read!” It’s always a challenge to read something that is not of your choosing. But there is some value in actually doing the reading. And believe it or not, the books listed have been vetted carefully.

From prestigious prep schools like Deerfield Academy, to UC Berkeley, public school districts and mega bank JP Morgan Chase, educators, influencers, and employers have rolled out their summer reading lists for students and lifetime learners. Most likely your school district, college, and possibly an employer have recommended or required summer reading for your household.

Why the Push for Summer Reading?

Darin Oduyoye, Chief Communications Officer for J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management says, “Business executives, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and all clients in between will discover creative and inspiring stories from our list. While summer is a time to relax, it is also a time to recharge and revitalize our thinking. Great books are the perfect fuel.”

Inc. magazine cited several studies that found reading both fiction and non-fiction stimulates our brain in ways that help us:

Empathize and hone our social skills so we can better understand and interact with others,

Assess and adapt to our environment, by helping us understand and reflect on change,

Boost creativity by making us more comfortable with ambiguity, which research found helps us think in exploratory, out-of-the-box ways.

There is something to be said for thinking out of the box. We need more of that to solve our problems and live more positively.

If you don’t have your own reading list, check out these interesting ones:

Abby Marks Beale is the founder of Rev It Up Reading. If you’re daunted by all you have to read, there’s still time to upgrade your reading skills. Do check out her complimentary One Day Pass and learn new strategies to get up to speed with what you read.